Richard Veale

Senior Portfolio Manager

After graduating from university, Richard pursued his passion for competitive sailing and offshore yacht racing. Later, he translated his strategic talent and tactical experience to a successful career in investing when he entered the industry in 2000. Richard then joined BMO Nesbitt Burns in 2003 and eventually formed RVG Advisory in 2017.

Richard provides portfolio management, financial and estate planning and aggregated financial services to many clients. RVG Advisory also manages several charitable investment mandates for individuals and the community, taking pride in maximizing grants through diligent investment management.

Richard follows a disciplined approach to identify financial strategies tailored for each client, leveraging BMO Private Wealth’s in-house tax, legal and estate experts to provide optimal solutions for each family’s legacy. He prides himself on building long-lasting relationships through high-calibre service.

Richard is an active member of the Oakville and Halton communities. He also enjoys snowboarding, tennis, squash, and spending time with his wife and two boys.

Joanna Hewgill

Senior Investment Associate

Joanna has been in the financial service industry since 2008 when she started with CIBC Wood Gundy. She joined BMO Nesbitt Burns as an Investment Advisor in 2011 and is responsible for providing personalized investment planning and wealth management strategies to her clients. Joanna understands the importance of educating clients on how their portfolios are custom tailored to reflect their objectives. She prides herself on calmly navigating her clients through today’s increasingly complex markets and keeping them updated on the progress of their investments through regular portfolio reviews.

Joanna also specializes in working with women and in particular, widows and divorcees, to empower them financially. After dealing with similar experiences in her own family Joanna knows she can provide women with the peace of mind they need to feel secure about their money and their future.

Joanna and her husband love spending time with their two young sons, and in her spare time she is actively involved in her local CrossFit gym. Consistent with Joanna’s passion for helping client achieve financial fitness, she shares the same passion for helping Cross Fit members achieve their physical fitness goals by applying the same planning and coaching principals.

Jimin Hong

Senior Investment Associate

What began at BMO Nesbitt Burns in August of 1991, Jimin proudly celebrated her career milestone 30-year anniversary. As a Senior Investment Associate, she aligns clients’ banking services, lending needs, financial planning, and investment solutions. Jimin works with high net-worth households, women at various life phases of financial transition, and families with generational transference of wealth. They trust Jimin and her RVG Advisory team to manage and guide their wealth plan with care. Her priority is to always exceed the highest level of service and professionalism.

Our clients tend to have intricate and busy lives, and Jimin is very familiar with these challenges personally. In dealing with some complex issues in her own family’s journey, her tenaciousness and experience as a Senior Investment Associate helped her make crucial, effective decisions. Life brings upon the unexpected and her own personal experience serves as a reminder the importance of a sound financial plan and working with an experienced team, the RVG Advisory.

Jimin and her husband Mike live in Burlington. Their son and daughter are pursuing their own scholastic endeavors in university here and abroad. In her spare time, Jimin enjoys traveling, cooking, entertaining for friends, and finding ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Recently, she has been enjoying podcasts by Brené Brown. And her favorite quote by Brown is “Dig deep – get deliberate, inspired and going.” This is becoming her mantra.

Jessica Slater

Senior Associate

Jessica has been in the financial services industry since starting as a bank teller with RBC in 1989. After 9 years with RBC she completed the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) and joined BMO Nesbitt Burns in 1998 as an administrative assistant for her dad. Over the years following his retirement Jessica has completed rigorous industry training to expand her knowledge and her role. She has been an associate with RVG Advisory since 2015 and continues to work with some of the clients she started working with when she first joined her Dad almost 25 ago.

Jessica is the first point of contact for many of our clients who rely on her to direct them with their investment selection. She also handles the day to day needs of our clients, from basic requests such as sending cash to complex issues involving Powers of Attorney and Estate Distributions. Alongside this Jessica manages our portfolio trading system which is used to evaluate and rebalance complex investment portfolios.

Jessica lives in Burlington and her daughter attends Wilfred Laurier University. Outside of the office Jessica is an avid music and sports enthusiast. From motor sports to the Buffalo Bills, and numerous concerts in between, she has enjoyed attending many live events and would be happy to show you her collection of tickets stubs dating back to 1989.

Cosette Alward

Administration Associate

Cosette started in the financial services industry in 2012 as a bank teller with TD Bank prior to graduating from York University with a double major. She is bilingual and her fluency in Spanish enabled her to provide enhanced services to the customers in her community.

Cosette came to BMO Nesbitt Burns in 2014 and joined the RVG Advisory team in 2015. As an associate on the team Cosette provides an invaluable level of service to our clients. She handles all administrative issues, from documentation to transfers and cash needs, and assists with managing our client’s trading requests. Cosette has enveloped the team’s holistic approach to wealth management and works in collaboration with our BMO Wealth partners to navigate our clients through the financial planning process. She adheres to the organizational tasks and responsibilities of our team, and prides herself on maintaining a highly structured, time managed environment to uphold our team’s reputation for superior customer service.

Cosette and her husband enjoy spending time with their three young sons and three affectionate dogs, Roscoe, Colbie and Opie. In addition to managing her active household, Cosette is an avid distance runner and can often be found running the roads, sometimes with her three children in tow.

Liz Fraser

Administration Assistant

Liz has 30 years of experience with Bank of Montreal, beginning as a receptionist in 1992 while attending the University of Waterloo. Upon receiving her Honours Bachelor of Science Degree, Liz decided to continue with the bank and started a career as a teller. In 1997 she transferred to the discount brokerage division, and in 2004 advanced to BMO Nesbitt Burns. Liz was invited to join the RVG Advisory team in 2018.

Our clients rely on Liz to assist them with all accounting and administrative issues. She demonstrates a client-centered, solution-based approach to her role on the team. Her expertise in all areas of customer service complements and supports our team’s approach to wealth management. Liz delivers her role on the RVG Advisory team with great enthusiasm and a positive outlook. She goes the extra mile.

Liz was born and raised in the Oakville/Burlington area, where she has remained with her two sons. She loves to watch her younger son play elite level lacrosse in Canada and across the US. Liz also loves hiking with her rescue dog, wandering where the wifi is weak. When the wifi is strong, she can get lost in any documentary, novel or true crime show.

Andrea Renzella

Senior Client Service Associate

 

Andrea started her career in 2011 at BMO Bank of Montreal working as a customer contact agent. She made the move to BMO Nesbitt Burns in 2013 working full time for a team in Toronto. Andrea is licensed as an investment representative and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brock University. She has a strong understanding of the administrative needs of affluent investors and always strives for swift and efficient service.

 

Andrea was born and raised in Hamilton where she currently lives with her husband and two young children. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking the many trails in Hamilton and playing with her boys, doing what young boys love to do. Andrea also has a passion for Broadway music and has been volunteering on the board of directors (and singing) with a local non-profit community choir for 11 years.